Taunton High School tennis court repairs come over budget

Thursday

Jul 17, 2014 at 11:53 PMJul 17, 2014 at 11:58 PM

With bid estimates coming in at more than $200,000 above what had been anticipated, the School Committee Wednesday night deferred any immediate decision on a plan to replace Taunton High School’s tennis courts.

Charles Winokoor Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter @cwinokoor

TAUNTON — With bid estimates coming in at more than $200,000 above what had been anticipated, the School Committee Wednesday night deferred any immediate decision on a plan to replace Taunton High School’s tennis courts.

“They were unexpectedly high,” said Superintendent Julie Hackett.

The committee in late winter voted to authorize up to $250,000 to replace the school’s nearly 40-year-old outdoor facility, which consists of eight tennis courts broken into two sections.

The plan is to build new courts within a rectangular strip of school-owned land bordering Williams Street.

The old courts are situated between a rear parking lot and two baseball fields behind both the high school and John F. Parker Middle School.

Three bids for the project were unsealed on June 4. They included bids of $436,890 by Mass Pavement Reclamation; $484,000 by Heimlich Construction; and $491,080 by Taunton-based G. Lopes Construction.

The School Committee agreed with Hackett’s recommendation to ask the project’s licensed professional engineer to attend a future meeting to discuss details of the proposed plan and potential cost-cutting adjustments.

School Committee member Cathal O’Brien recommended getting in touch with Taunton native Patrick J. Sullivan, director of New Bedford’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

O’Brien praised Sullivan for spearheading “some amazing work” in the Whaling City, including the creation of a large playground and exercise area featuring fitness stations for adults and a spray park for kids to use during hot weather.

He also said Sullivan might be able to suggest certain grant programs available to Taunton.

Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. noted that although the Williams Street site is “a difficult area in terms of drainage,” the school needs the new courts. He pointed out that the four tennis courts at Benjamin A. Friedman Middle School are used often.

Hackett said despite the delay she expects the new courts will be open by spring 2015. She also suggested that additional money could be generated through private donations and fundraisers.

But she warned the committee to be mindful of over-extending either the school-choice or athletic revolving funds — especially in light of a previous vote to allocate $500,000 from the school-choice fund to provide new bleachers, a press box and bathrooms at the Taunton High School football-and-track stadium.

That project is on hold until the City Council and School Committee can agree on a final plan and price tag. The city would have to bond the bulk of the cost, which so far has been estimated to be at least $2 million.

Hackett said it’s too late to consider dropping the plan to replace the old high school tennis courts.

“We know they’re in terrible condition. They’re a mess — there’s no better way of putting it,” he said.

School Committee member Christine Fagan said locating the courts out front will discourage vandalism.

She said it also will alleviate concerns about foul balls from the baseball field landing on the courts or hitting a player, which she noted has been a problem for years.

Lenny Santos, 45, and his 16-year-old daughter, Amy, who plays on Taunton High’s girl’s varsity team, had just finished practicing at the tennis courts Thursday afternoon when asked to give their opinion about conditions there.